Single-layer touch-sensitive display

ABSTRACT

A touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate is disclosed. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated as column-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a second orientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation is connected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the second orientation are connected together using a separate metal trace in the border area of the touch sensor panel. The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side of the substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patches and column-like patterns by a dielectric layer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This relates generally to input devices for computing systems, and moreparticularly, to a mutual-capacitance multi-touch sensor panel capableof being fabricated on a single side of a substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of input devices are presently available for performingoperations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice,trackballs, touch sensor panels, joysticks, touch screens and the like.Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular becauseof their ease and versatility of operation as well as their decliningprice. Touch screens can include a touch sensor panel, which can be aclear panel with a touch-sensitive surface. The touch sensor panel canbe positioned in front of a display screen so that the touch-sensitivesurface covers the viewable area of the display screen. Touch screenscan allow a user to make selections and move a cursor by simply touchingthe display screen via a finger or stylus. In general, the touch screencan recognize the touch and position of the touch on the display screen,and the computing system can interpret the touch and thereafter performan action based on the touch event.

Touch sensor panels can be implemented as an array of pixels formed bymultiple drive lines (e.g. rows) crossing over multiple sense lines(e.g. columns), where the drive and sense lines are separated by adielectric material. An example of such a touch sensor panel isdescribed in Applicant's co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/650,049entitled “Double-Sided Touch Sensitive Panel and Flex Circuit Bonding,”filed on Jan. 3, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated byreference herein. However, touch sensor panels having drive and senselines formed on the bottom and top sides of a single substrate can beexpensive to manufacture. One reason for this additional expense is thatthin-film processing steps must be performed on both sides of the glasssubstrate, which requires protective measures for the processed sidewhile the other side is being processed. Another reason is the cost ofthe flex circuit fabrication and bonding needed to connect to both sidesof the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This relates to a substantially transparent touch sensor panel havingco-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of asubstrate for detecting single or multi-touch events (the touching ofone or multiple fingers or other objects upon a touch-sensitive surfaceat distinct locations at about the same time). To avoid having tofabricate substantially transparent drive and sense lines on oppositesides of the same substrate, embodiments of the invention can form thedrive and sense lines on a co-planar single layer on the same side ofthe substrate. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated ascolumn-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a secondorientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation isconnected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touchsensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the secondorientation are connected together using a separate metal trace (orother conductive material) in the border area of the touch sensor panel.The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side ofthe substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patchesand column-like patterns by a dielectric layer. The metal traces canallow both the patches and column-like patterns to be routed to the sameshort edge of the substrate so that a small flex circuit can be bondedto a small area on only one side of the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a illustrates a partial view of an exemplary substantiallytransparent touch sensor panel having co-planar single-layer touchsensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate according to oneembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 b illustrates a partial view of an exemplary substantiallytransparent touch sensor panel including metal traces running in theborder areas of the touch sensor panel according to one embodiment ofthis invention.

FIG. 1 c illustrates an exemplary connection of columns and row patchesto the metal traces in the border area of the touch sensor panelaccording to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 a illustrates an exemplary cross-section of touch sensor panelshowing SITO traces and metal traces connected though a via in adielectric material according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 b is a close-up view of the exemplary cross-section shown in FIG.2 a according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an exemplary column and adjacent rowpatches according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 4 a is a plot of an x-coordinate of a finger touch versus mutualcapacitance seen at a pixel for a two adjacent pixels a-5 and b-5 in asingle row having wide spacings.

FIG. 4 b is a plot of an x-coordinate of a finger touch versus mutualcapacitance seen at a pixel for a two adjacent pixels a-5 and b-5 in asingle row having wide spacings where spatial interpolation has beenprovided according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 4 c illustrates a top view of an exemplary column and adjacent rowpatch pattern useful for larger pixel spacings according to oneembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary stackup of SITO on a touch sensor panelsubstrate bonded to a cover glass according to one embodiment of thisinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computing system operable with a touchsensor panel according to one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 7 a illustrates an exemplary mobile telephone that can include atouch sensor panel and computing system according to one embodiment ofthis invention.

FIG. 7 b illustrates an exemplary digital audio/video player that caninclude a touch sensor panel and computing system according to oneembodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following description of preferred embodiments, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which itis shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which theinvention can be practiced. It is to be understood that otherembodiments can be used and structural changes can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the embodiments of this invention.

This relates to a substantially transparent touch sensor panel havingco-planar single-layer touch sensors fabricated on a single side of asubstrate for detecting single or multi-touch events (the touching ofone or multiple fingers or other objects upon a touch-sensitive surfaceat distinct locations at about the same time). To avoid having tofabricate substantially transparent drive and sense lines on oppositesides of the same substrate, embodiments of the invention can form thedrive and sense lines on a co-planar single layer on the same side ofthe substrate. The drive and sense lines can be fabricated ascolumn-like patterns in a first orientation and patches in a secondorientation, where each column-like pattern in the first orientation isconnected to a separate metal trace in the border area of the touchsensor panel, and all patches in each of multiple rows in the secondorientation are connected together using a separate metal trace (orother conductive material) in the border area of the touch sensor panel.The metal traces in the border areas can be formed on the same side ofthe substrate as the patches and columns, but separated from the patchesand column-like patterns by a dielectric layer. The metal traces canallow both the patches and column-like patterns to be routed to the sameshort edge of the substrate so that a small flex circuit can be bondedto a small area on only one side of the substrate.

Although some embodiments of this invention may be described herein interms of mutual capacitance multi-touch sensor panels, it should beunderstood that embodiments of this invention are not so limited, butare additionally applicable to self-capacitance sensor panels andsingle-touch sensor panels. Furthermore, although the touch sensors inthe sensor panel may be described herein in terms of an orthogonal arrayof touch sensors having rows and columns, embodiments of this inventionare not limited to orthogonal arrays, but can be generally applicable totouch sensors arranged in any number of dimensions and orientations,including diagonal, concentric circle, three-dimensional and randomorientations.

FIG. 1 a illustrates a partial view of exemplary substantiallytransparent touch sensor panel 100 having co-planar single-layer touchsensors fabricated on a single side of a substrate according toembodiments of the invention. In the example of FIG. 1 a, touch sensorpanel 100 having eight columns (labeled a through h) and six rows(labeled 1 through 6) is shown, although it should be understood thatany number of columns and rows can be employed. Columns a through h cangenerally be columnar in shape, although in the example of FIG. 1 a, oneside of each column includes staggered edges and notches designed tocreate separate sections in each column. Each of rows 1 through 6 can beformed from a plurality of distinct patches or pads, each patchincluding a trace of the same material as the patch and routed to theborder area of touch sensor panel 100 for enabling all patches in aparticular row to be connected together through metal traces (not shownin FIG. 1 a) running in the border areas. These metal traces can berouted to a small area on one side of touch sensor panel 100 andconnected to a flex circuit 102. As shown in the example of FIG. 1 a,the patches forming the rows can be arranged in a generallypyramid-shaped configuration. In FIG. 1 a, for example, the patches forrows 1-3 between columns a and b are arranged in an inverted pyramidconfiguration, while the patches for rows 4-6 between columns a and bare arranged in an upright pyramid configuration.

The columns and patches of FIG. 1 a can be formed in a co-planar singlelayer of conductive material. In touch screen embodiments, theconductive material can be a substantially transparent material such asSingle-layer Indium Tin Oxide (SITO), although other materials can alsobe used. The SITO layer can be formed either on the back of a coverglassor on the top of a separate substrate. Although SITO may be referred toherein for purposes of simplifying the disclosure, it should beunderstood that other conductive materials can also be used according toembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 b illustrates a partial view of exemplary substantiallytransparent touch sensor panel 100 including metal traces 104 and 106running in the border areas of the touch sensor panel according toembodiments of the invention. Note that the border areas in FIG. 1 b areenlarged for clarity. Each column a-h can include SITO trace 108 thatallows the column to be connected to a metal trace through a via (notshown in FIG. 1 b). One side of each column includes staggered edges 114and notches 116 designed to create separate sections in each column.Each row patch 1-6 can include SITO trace 110 that allows the patch tobe connected to a metal trace through a via (not shown in FIG. 1 b).SITO traces 110 can allow each patch in a particular row to beself-connected to each other. Because all metal traces 104 and 106 areformed on the same layer, they can all be routed to the same flexcircuit 102.

If touch sensor panel 100 is operated as a mutual capacitance touchsensor panel, either the columns a-h or the rows 1-6 can be driven withone or more stimulation signals, and fringing electric field lines canform between adjacent column areas and row patches. In FIG. 1 b, itshould be understood that although only electric field lines 112 betweencolumn a and row patch 1 (a-1) are shown for purposes of illustration,electric field lines can be formed between other adjacent column and rowpatches (e.g. a-2, b-4, g-5, etc.) depending on what columns or rows arebeing stimulated. Thus, it should be understood that each column-rowpatch pair (e.g. a-1, a-2, b-4, g-5, etc.) can represent a two-electrodepixel or sensor at which charge can be coupled onto the sense electrodefrom the drive electrode. When a finger touches down over one of thesepixels, some of the fringing electric field lines that extend beyond thecover of the touch sensor panel are blocked by the finger, reducing theamount of charge coupled onto the sense electrode. This reduction in theamount of coupled charge can be detected as part of determining aresultant “image” of touch. It should be noted that in mutualcapacitance touch sensor panel designs as shown in FIG. 1 b, no separatereference ground is needed, so no second layer on the back side of thesubstrate, or on a separate substrate, is needed.

Touch sensor panel 100 can also be operated as a self-capacitance touchsensor panel. In such an embodiment, a reference ground plane can beformed on the back side of the substrate, on the same side as thepatches and columns but separated from the patches and columns by adielectric, or on a separate substrate. In a self-capacitance touchsensor panel, each pixel or sensor has a self-capacitance to thereference ground that can be changed due to the presence of a finger. Inself-capacitance embodiments, the self-capacitance of columns a-h can besensed independently, and the self-capacitance of rows 1-6 can also besensed independently.

FIG. 1 c illustrates an exemplary connection of columns and row patchesto the metal traces in the border area of the touch sensor panelaccording to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 1 c represents “DetailA” as shown in FIG. 1 b, and shows column “a” and row patches 4-6connected to metal traces 118 through SITO traces 108 and 110. BecauseSITO traces 108 and 110 are separated from metal traces 118 by adielectric material, vias 120 formed in the dielectric material allowthe SITO traces to connect to the metal traces.

FIG. 2 a illustrates an exemplary cross-section of touch sensor panel200 showing SITO trace 208 and metal traces 218 connected though via 220in dielectric material 222 according to embodiments of the invention.FIG. 2 a represents view B-B as shown in FIG. 1 c.

FIG. 2 b is a close-up view of the exemplary cross-section shown in FIG.2 a according to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 2 b shows oneexemplary embodiment wherein SITO trace 208 has a resistivity of about155 ohms per square max. In one embodiment, dielectric 222 can be about1500 angstroms of inorganic SiO₂, which can be processed at a highertemperature and therefore allows the SITO layer to be sputtered withhigher quality. In another embodiment, dielectric 222 can be about 3.0microns of organic polymer. The 1500 angstroms of inorganic SiO₂ can beused for touch sensor panels small enough such that the crossovercapacitance (between SITO trace 208 and metal traces 218) is not anissue.

For larger touch sensor panels (having a diagonal dimension of about3.5″ or greater), crossover capacitance can be an issue, creating anerror signal that can only partially be compensated. Thus, for largertouch sensor panels, a thicker dielectric layer 222 with a lowerdielectric constant such as about 3.0 microns of organic polymer can beused to lower the crossover capacitance. However, use of a thickerdielectric layer can force the SITO layer to be sputtered at a lowertemperature, resulting in lower optical quality and higher resistivity.

Referring again to the example of FIG. 1 c, column edges 114 and rowpatches 4-6 can be staggered in the x-dimension because space must bemade for SITO traces 110 connecting row patches 4 and 5. (It should beunderstood that row patch 4 in the example of FIG. 1 c is really twopatches stuck together.) To gain optimal touch sensitivity, it can bedesirable to balance the area of the electrodes in pixels a-6, a-5 anda-4. However, if column “a” was kept linear, row patch 6 can be slimmerthan row patch 5 or 6, and an imbalance would be created between theelectrodes of pixel a-6.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an exemplary column and adjacent rowpatches according to embodiments of the invention. It can be generallydesirable to make the mutual capacitance characteristics of pixels a-4,a-5 and a-6 relatively constant to produce a relatively uniformz-direction touch sensitivity that stays within the range of touchsensing circuitry. Accordingly, the column areas a₄, a₅ and a₆ should beabout the same as row patch areas 4, 5 and 6. To accomplish this, columnsection a₄ and a₅, and row patch 4 and 5 can be shrunk in they-direction as compared to column section a6 and row patch 6 so that thearea of column segment a₄ matches the area of column segments a₅ and a₆.In other words, pixel a₄-4 will be wider but shorter than pixel a₆-6,which will be narrower but taller.

It should be evident from the previously mentioned figures that rawspatial sensitivity can be somewhat distorted. In other words, becausethe pixels or sensors can be slightly skewed or misaligned in thex-direction, the x-coordinate of a maximized touch event on pixel a-6(e.g. a finger placed down directly over pixel a-6) can be slightlydifferent from the x-coordinate of a maximized touch event on pixel a-4,for example. Accordingly, in embodiments of the invention thismisalignment can be de-warped in a software algorithm to re-map thepixels and remove the distortion.

Although a typical touch panel grid dimension can have pixels arrangedon 5.0 mm centers, a more spread-out grid having about 6.0 mm centers,for example, can be desirable to reduce the overall number of electricalconnections in the touch sensor panel. However, spreading out the sensorpattern can cause erroneous touch readings.

FIG. 4 a is a plot of an x-coordinate of a finger touch versus mutualcapacitance seen at a pixel for a two adjacent pixels a-5 and b-5 in asingle row having wide spacings. In FIG. 4 a, plot 400 represents themutual capacitance seen at pixel a-5 as the finger touch movescontinuously from left to right, and plot 402 represents the mutualcapacitance seen at pixel b-5 as the finger touch moves continuouslyfrom left to right. As expected, a drop in the mutual capacitance 404 isseen at pixel a-5 when the finger touch passes directly over pixel a-5,and a similar drop in the mutual capacitance 406 is seen at pixel b-5when the finger touch passes directly over pixel b-5. If line 408represents a threshold for detecting a touch event, FIG. 4 a illustratesthat even though the finger is never lifted from the surface of thetouch sensor panel, it can erroneously appear at 410 that the finger hasmomentarily lifted off the surface. This location 410 can represent apoint about halfway between the two spread-out pixels.

FIG. 4 b is a plot of an x-coordinate of a finger touch versus mutualcapacitance seen at a pixel for a two adjacent pixels a-5 and b-5 in asingle row having wide spacings where spatial interpolation has beenprovided according to embodiments of the invention. As expected, a dropin the mutual capacitance 404 is seen at pixel a-5 when the finger touchpasses directly over pixel a-5, and a similar drop in the mutualcapacitance 406 is seen at pixel b-5 when the finger touch passesdirectly over pixel b-5. Note, however, that the rise and fall in themutual capacitance value occurs more gradually than in FIG. 4 a. If line408 represents a threshold for detecting a touch event, FIG. 4 billustrates that as the finger moves from left to right over pixel a-5and b-5, a touch event is always detected at either pixel a-5 or b-5. Inother words, this “blurring” of touch events is helpful to prevent theappearance of false no-touch readings.

In one embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the coverglass forthe touch sensor panel can be increased to create part or all of thespatial blurring or filtering shown in FIG. 4 b.

FIG. 4 c illustrates a top view of an exemplary column and adjacent rowpatch pattern useful for larger pixel spacings according to embodimentsof the invention. FIG. 4 c illustrates an exemplary embodiment in whichsawtooth electrode edges 412 are employed within a pixel elongated inthe x-direction. The sawtooth electrode edges can allow fringingelectric field lines 414 to be present over a larger area in thex-direction so that a touch event can be detected by the same pixel overa larger distance in the x-direction. It should be understood that thesawtooth configuration of FIG. 4 c is only exemplary, and that otherconfigurations such serpentine edges and the like can also be used.These configurations can further soften the touch patterns and createadditional spatial filtering and interpolation between adjacent pixelsas shown in FIG. 4 b.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary stackup of SITO on a touch sensor panelsubstrate bonded to a cover glass according to embodiments of theinvention. The stackup can include touch sensor panel substrate 500,which can be formed from glass, upon which anti-reflective (AR) film 510can be formed on one side and metal 502 can be deposited and patternedon the other side to form the bus lines in the border areas. Metal 502can have a resistivity of 0.8 ohms per square maximum. Insulating layer504 can then be deposited over substrate 500 and metal 502. Insulatinglayer can be, for example, SiO₂ with a thickness of 1500 angstroms, or 3microns of organic polymer. Photolithography can be used to form vias506 in insulator 504, and conductive material 508 can then deposited andpatterned on top of the insulator and metal 502. The single layer ofconductive material 508, which can be formed from transparent conductivematerial such as ITO having a resistivity of 155 ohms per squaremaximum, can be more transparent than multi-layer designs, and can beeasier to manufacture. Flex circuit 512 can be bonded to conductivematerial 508 and metal 502 using adhesive 514 such as anisotropicconductive film (ACF). The entire subassembly can then be bonded tocover glass 516 and blackmask 520 using adhesive 518 such as pressuresensitive adhesive (PSA).

In an alternative embodiment, the metal, insulator, conductive materialas described above can be formed directly on the back side of the coverglass.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary computing system 600 operable with thetouch sensor panel described above according to embodiments of thisinvention. Touchscreen 642, which can include touch sensor panel 624 anddisplay device 640 (e.g. an LCD module), can be connected to othercomponents in computing system 600 through connectors integrally formedon the sensor panel, or using flex circuits. Computing system 600 caninclude one or more panel processors 602 and peripherals 604, and panelsubsystem 606. The one or more processors 602 can include, for example,ARM968 processors or other processors with similar functionality andcapabilities. However, in other embodiments, the panel processorfunctionality can be implemented instead by dedicated logic such as astate machine. Peripherals 604 can include, but are not limited to,random access memory (RAM) or other types of memory or storage, watchdogtimers and the like.

Panel subsystem 606 can include, but is not limited to, one or moreanalog channels 608, channel scan logic 610 and driver logic 614.Channel scan logic 610 can access RAM 612, autonomously read data fromthe analog channels and provide control for the analog channels. Thiscontrol can include multiplexing or otherwise connecting the sense linesof touch sensor panel 624 to analog channels 608. In addition, channelscan logic 610 can control the driver logic and stimulation signalsbeing selectively applied to the drive lines of touch sensor panel 624.In some embodiments, panel subsystem 606, panel processor 602 andperipherals 604 can be integrated into a single application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC).

Driver logic 614 can provide multiple panel subsystem outputs 616 andcan present a proprietary interface that drives high voltage driver 618.High voltage driver 618 can provide level shifting from a low voltagelevel (e.g. complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) levels) to ahigher voltage level, providing a better signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio fornoise reduction purposes. Panel subsystem outputs 616 can be sent todecoder 620 and level shifter/driver 638, which can selectively connectone or more high voltage driver outputs to one or more panel row ordrive line inputs 622 through a proprietary interface and enable the useof fewer high voltage driver circuits in the high voltage driver 618.Each panel row input 622 can drive one or more drive lines in touchsensor panel 624. In some embodiments, high voltage driver 618 anddecoder 620 can be integrated into a single ASIC. However, in otherembodiments high voltage driver 618 and decoder 620 can be integratedinto driver logic 614, and in still other embodiments high voltagedriver 618 and decoder 620 can be eliminated entirely.

Computing system 600 can also include host processor 628 for receivingoutputs from panel processor 602 and performing actions based on theoutputs that can include, but are not limited to, moving an object suchas a cursor or pointer, scrolling or panning, adjusting controlsettings, opening a file or document, viewing a menu, making aselection, executing instructions, operating a peripheral deviceconnected to the host device, answering a telephone call, placing atelephone call, terminating a telephone call, changing the volume oraudio settings, storing information related to telephone communicationssuch as addresses, frequently dialed numbers, received calls, missedcalls, logging onto a computer or a computer network, permittingauthorized individuals access to restricted areas of the computer orcomputer network, loading a user profile associated with a user'spreferred arrangement of the computer desktop, permitting access to webcontent, launching a particular program, encrypting or decoding amessage, and/or the like. Host processor 628 can also perform additionalfunctions that may not be related to panel processing, and can becoupled to program storage 632 and display device 640 such as an LCD forproviding a user interface (UI) to a user of the device.

The touch sensor panel described above can be advantageously used in thesystem of FIG. 6 to provide a space-efficient touch sensor panel and UIthat is lower cost, more manufacturable, and fits into existingmechanical control outlines (the same physical envelope).

FIG. 7 a illustrates exemplary mobile telephone 736 that can includetouch sensor panel 724 and display device 730 stackups (optionallybonded together using PSA 734) and computing system described aboveaccording to embodiments of the invention. FIG. 7 b illustratesexemplary digital audio/video player 740 that can include touch sensorpanel 724 and display device 730 stackups (optionally bonded togetherusing PSA 734) and computing system described above according toembodiments of the invention. The mobile telephone and digitalaudio/video player of FIGS. 7 a and 7 b can advantageously benefit fromthe touch sensor panel described above because the touch sensor panelcan enable these devices to be smaller and less expensive, which areimportant consumer factors that can have a significant effect onconsumer desirability and commercial success.

Although embodiments of this invention have been fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that variouschanges and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in theart. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as beingincluded within the scope of embodiments of this invention as defined bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A touch sensor panel, comprising: a plurality ofpatterns of conductive material disposed along a first direction andformed on a single layer and supported on one side of a substrate; and aplurality of distinct patches of the conductive material supported onthe same side of the substrate as the plurality of patterns ofconductive material, the plurality of distinct patches formed on thesame layer as the plurality of patterns of conductive material andarranged in plural groups of the distinct patches, each group disposedalong a second direction, each distinct patch in a particular groupconnected together; wherein each of the plurality of distinct patchestogether with sections of the patterns of conductive material adjacentto the plurality of distinct patches form a substantially co-planar,single layer array of mutual capacitance sensors.
 2. A touch sensorpanel of claim 1, wherein each mutual capacitance sensor is responsiveto a fringing electric field between a section of one of the pluralityof distinct patches and an adjacent, non-overlapping, co-planar sectionof one of the plurality of patterns of conductive material; and wherein:the plurality of patterns of conductive material disposed along thefirst direction is configured as one of a drive line or a sense line forthe array of mutual capacitance sensors, and the plurality groups of theplurality of distinct patches disposed along the second direction isconfigured as the other of the drive line or the sense line for thesubstantially co-planar, single layer array of mutual capacitancesensors; and in operation, the drive lines driven with one or morestimulation signals to establish the fringing electric field forcoupling charge onto the sense lines.
 3. The touch sensor panel of claim2, wherein the distinct patches of a particular group are connectedtogether via at least one of a plurality of conductor traces.
 4. Thetouch sensor panel of claim 3, wherein the plurality of conductor tracesare disposed at least in a border area of the touch sensor panel, theplurality of patterns of conductive material connected to at least oneof the plurality of conductor traces.
 5. The touch sensor panel of claim4, wherein the plurality of patterns of conductive material are formedwith notches and staggered edges to form the sections.
 6. The touchsensor panel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of patterns of conductivematerial are formed with notches and staggered edges to form thesections.
 7. The touch sensor panel of claim 6, wherein the distinctpatches of a particular group are connected together via at least one ofa plurality of conductor traces, and the plurality of conductor tracesare disposed at least in a border area of the touch sensor panel, theplurality of patterns of conductive material connected to at least oneof the plurality of conductor traces.
 8. The touch sensor panel of claim7, wherein the portions of the plurality of patterns of conductivematerial and portions of the plurality of distinct patches are formedpartially over the plurality of conductor traces but separated therefromby a dielectric material.
 9. The touch sensor panel of claim 8, furthercomprising vias formed in the dielectric material for providingconnections between the portions of the plurality of patterns ofconductive material and the plurality of conductor traces and betweenthe portions of the plurality of distinct patches and the plurality ofconductor traces.
 10. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein theplurality of patterns of conductive material comprises Indium Tin Oxide(ITO).
 11. The touch sensor panel of claim 3, wherein the plurality ofconductor traces are formed from metal.
 12. The touch sensor panel ofclaim 1, wherein the substrate is a cover material for a touch sensitivedevice.
 13. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, further comprising acover material for a touch sensitive device coupled to the substrate.14. The touch sensor panel of claim 3, wherein the plurality ofconductive traces are routed to a single side of the substrate forconnecting to a flex circuit.
 15. The touch sensor panel of claim 1,wherein each of the plurality of distinct patches and adjacent sectionsof the plurality of patterns of conductive material have about the samesurface area.
 16. The touch sensor panel of claim 1, each sensor of themutual capacitance sensors is elongated in at least one of the first andsecond directions to provide spatial filtering.
 17. The touch sensorpanel of claim 1, the touch sensor panel integrated into a computingsystem.
 18. The touch sensor panel of claim 17, the computing systemintegrated into a mobile telephone or digital media player.
 19. Thetouch sensor panel of claim 3, wherein the plurality of conductor tracescomprises metal traces which are disposed on a border area of the touchsensor panel; and wherein the sections of the plurality of distinctpatches which are separate from, non-overlapping with, and adjacent tothe plurality of patterns of conductive material are connected to themetal traces by single layer transparent conductive traces disposedsubstantially along the first direction.
 20. A method for forming atouch sensor panel, comprising: forming a plurality of column-likepatterns of conductive material disposed in a first direction on asingle layer on one side of a substrate; forming a plurality of distinctpatches of the conductive material on the same side of the substrate asthe plurality of column-like patterns of conductive material anddisposed in substantially the same single layer as the plurality ofcolumn-like patterns, arranging the plurality of distinct patches intoin a plurality of rows; connecting together the distinct patches in aparticular row; forming a substantially co-planar, single layer array ofmutual capacitance sensors from at least sections of the plurality ofdistinct patches together with sections of the plurality of column-likepatterns of conductive material, the at least sections of the pluralityof distinct patches being separate from, non-overlapping with, andadjacent to the sections of the plurality of column-like patterns ofconductive material; and configuring drive lines from one of theplurality of column-like patters or the plurality of distinct patchesand configuring sense lines from the other of the plurality ofcolumn-like patters or the plurality of distinct patches.
 21. The methodof claim 20, further comprising forming the column-like patterns ofconductive material with notches and staggered edge.
 22. The method ofclaim 20, further comprising forming a plurality of conductor traces ina border area of the substrate for providing, at least in part, aconnection to each distinct patch in a particular row and for providinga connection to each column-like pattern of conductive material.
 23. Themethod of claim 22, further comprising forming the plurality ofcolumn-like patterns of conductive material and the plurality ofdistinct patches partially over the plurality of conductor traces butseparated therefrom by a dielectric material.
 24. The method of claim23, further comprising forming vias in the dielectric material forproviding the connections between the column-like patterns of conductivematerial and the plurality of conductor traces and the plurality ofdistinct patches and the plurality of conductor traces.
 25. The methodof claim 20, wherein the conductive material is Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).26. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming the plurality ofconductor traces from metal.
 27. The method of claim 20, wherein thesubstrate is a cover material for a touch sensitive device.
 28. Themethod of claim 20, further comprising attaching a cover material for atouch sensitive device to the substrate.
 29. The method of claim 26,further comprising routing the plurality of conductor traces to a singleside of the substrate for connecting to a flex circuit.
 30. The methodof claim 21, further comprising forming each distinct patch and adjacentsections of the column-like patterns to have substantially the samesurface area.
 31. The method of claim 20, further comprising elongatingeach sensor to create spatial blurring.
 32. A mobile telephone includinga touch sensor panel, the touch sensor panel comprising: a plurality ofpatterns of conductive material disposed along a first direction, formedon a single layer and supported on one side of a substrate; and aplurality of distinct patches of the conductive material supported onthe same side of the substrate as the plurality of patterns ofconductive material, the plurality of distinct patches disposed insubstantially the same single layer, and plural groups of the pluralityof distinct patches disposed along a second direction, different fromthe first direction, the distinct patches in a particular groupconnected together; wherein at least sections of the plurality ofdistinct patches are separate from, non-overlapping with, and adjacentto sections of the patterns of conductive material such as to form asubstantially co-planar, single layer array of mutual capacitancesensors.
 33. A digital media player including a touch sensor panel, thetouch sensor panel comprising: a plurality of patterns of conductivematerial disposed along a first direction, formed on a single layer andsupported on one side of a substrate; and a plurality of distinctpatches of the conductive material supported on the same side of thesubstrate as the plurality of patterns of conductive material, theplurality of distinct patches disposed in substantially the same singlelayer, and plural groups of the plurality of distinct patches disposedalong a second direction, different from the first direction, thedistinct patches in a particular group connected together via at leastone of a plurality of conductor traces; wherein at least sections of theplurality of distinct patches are separate from, non-overlapping with,and adjacent to sections of the plurality of patterns of conductivematerial such as to form a substantially co-planar, single layer arrayof mutual capacitance sensors.
 34. The touch sensor panel of claim 1,wherein the plurality of distinct patches and the plurality of patternsof conductive material are disposed in a non-interleaved relationshipwith respect to one another.
 35. The touch sensor panel of claim 1,wherein each of the plurality of patterns of conductive material extendsacross substantially the entirety of the touch sensor panel along thefirst direction without interleaving with any of the plurality ofdistinct patches such that a gap is disposed substantially along thefirst direction separating each of the plurality of patterns ofconductive material from the plurality of distinct patches.
 36. Thetouch sensor panel of claim 1, wherein ones of the plurality of patternsof conductive material are connected only along one end thereof to atleast one of the plurality of conductive traces, and alternate adjacentones of the plurality of patterns of conductive patterns of conductivematerial are connected only along the other end thereof to at least oneof the plurality of conductive traces, wherein the plurality ofconductor traces are disposed in a border area of the touch sensorpanel, the plurality of patterns of conductive material connected to atleast one of the plurality of conductor traces.
 37. A touch sensorpanel, comprising: a plurality of patterns of conductive materialdisposed along a first direction and formed on a single layer andsupported on one side of a substrate; and a plurality of distinctpatches of the conductive material supported on the same side of thesubstrate as the plurality of patterns of conductive material, theplurality of distinct patches formed on the same layer as the pluralityof patterns of conductive material and arranged in plural groups of thedistinct patches, each group disposed along a second direction, eachdistinct patch in a particular group connected together; one of theplurality of patterns of conductive material or the plurality of groupsforming one of drive lines and sense lines and the other of theplurality of patters of conductive material or the plurality of groupsforming sense lines, the drive lines adapted for mutual capacitivecoupling to the sense lines; a control circuit for providing stimulationsignals to the drive lines and sense circuitry to receive signals fromthe sense lines in response to the stimulation signals provided to thedrive lines.